The Bat: Tales of the Knight
by Benjamin J Brown
Summary: AU. The missing link between Volume one of "The Bat" and volume one of "Justice League United"; The lost 18 months, or rather, the last 6 months leading up to JLU. Batman and Robin start by taking on Catwoman and Penguin, among other rogues, before finally ending up at a crossroads in the final chapters; Just how strong is their partnership? I own nothing.


**Right, so this is... I won't call it volume 2 of "The Bat", more volume 1.5. It basically serves to bring the narrative from where it was in the last chapter to where it was in the epilogue / events of "Justice League United Volume 1: Apokolips", taking place over the six months leading up to that epilogue, culminating in events directly following Apokolips, and mostly detailing elements of Dick Grayson's career as Robin. Basically, I'm planning on entering the second level of this DC universe in second volumes of The Bat and Man of Steel, as well as introducing more familiar faces by the time volume two of Justice League United comes (*cough* Jason Todd *cough*). I'll say no more than that, but trust me, it's going to be good. Anyway, enjoy. B.**

**... **

Oswald Cobblepot sat in his office in his club, 'the Iceberg Lounge,' waiting for the call he'd been promised by a..._colleague._ Frankly, operating in Gotham in the present day was risky business. Had been for the last year, since _he'd_ appeared.

The Batman.

Of course, he didn't work on his own; he had a partner, Robin, apparently little more than a kid. Cobblepot appreciated at least the kid's motif; he'd always had a love for birds that thrived in cold temperatures.

He stood up, grabbing the umbrella he used as a cane before picking up the top hat he always wore with his tail suit, ensuring his monocle was properly in place before he began walking, the black and white suit in combination with his three fingered winter gloves, along with his short, fat build and long, hooked nose, making his nickname of 'Penguin' extremely appropriate. Not that he cared; he preferred penguins to most animals anyway. So intelligent, and capable of defending themselves when need be.

Just like Cobblepot.

He slowly made his way out of his office, making his way across the floor of the club, to the VIP area. He scowled at the sight before him; sat there, between a pair of Czech supermodels in red and gold dresses with high heels, one blonde and one brunette, with a bottle of champagne in front of them, was Bruce Wayne. In _his_ spot! He scowled for a moment before composing himself and slowly making his way over to Bruce.

"Bruce Wayne, lovely to see you again." Cobblepot said in a thick, British accent, walking over to Bruce with a very forced smile on his face "Haven't seen you since Dent's fundraiser last month. How are you?"

"Sorry, have we met?" Wayne replied, a wry grin on his face "I'm terrible with names and faces you see, couldn't put my socks on in the morning without my butler."

"Cobblepot. Oswald Cobblepot." Cobblepot replied, his smile faltering before he composed himself, looking at the two women "And who are these beautiful creatures."

"Well, this is Vanessa and that's Miranda." Bruce said, gesturing to the blonde and then the brunette before withdrawing his phone from the inside pocket of his navy blue suit "Oh, of course, you own this place, don't you, Oswald? It's not _too_ shabby, I suppose. Of course, it's no Ritz."

"Careful, Bruce." Cobblepot growled at Bruce "A man might think you're trying to insult him."

"Careful Oswald. A man might think you were threatening him." Bruce said, tucking his phone back into his pocket as he rose, helping both women to their feet in a single, flourishing motion before turning to Oswald and flashing a smile that would have saved the Titanic "If you'll excuse us, our meal is ready back at my mansion. You must drop by sometime, Oswald. If you're not too busy threatening your patrons."

Bruce walked out of the lounge, one of the models on each arm. Cobblepot scowled. Wayne was absolutely insufferable; totally without respect. Cobblepot was in half a mind to have his legs broken, just to teach him some manners.

...

Dick crouched on the roof across from the iceberg lounge, his black and yellow cape billowing in the breeze, as his mid length hair flowed gently in it, stopping just below the nape of his neck, the hood attached to his cape remaining primarily static. Bruce was inside, trying to get some kind of information on the owner, Oswald Cobblepot. Street name, the Penguin.

Dick looked down on the entrance, seeing the figure of a man with two women draped on his arms stepping out of the club. He clicked a button on his belt, engaging the magnification function of the lenses in his domino mask. It was Bruce. He watched as Bruce ushered both women into the car before closing the door, allowing Alfred to drive the girls home. Bruce then proceeded to pull out what looked like a phone, pressing one button before holding it up to his ear, the ear piece Dick wore activating.

...

"I'm going back inside." Bruce said into the communicator he was holding, keeping his tone quiet "I need you to provide a diversion so I can get out back. There are two bouncers on the door, armed with glocks, another six in the security room by the entrance. There's a weapons cache in that room. Given how Cobblepot's men like to work, I'd guess that contains M37 shotguns, MP5K's and AK-47's. Think you can stop them from getting to that before I can join the party?"

"Don't need you at the party." Dick's voice came, his cocky attitude evident in it "Batman's not going to be needed on this one. Leave it all to Robin."

"Don't do anything stupid, Dick." Bruce said, narrowing his eyes "Distraction only, and do _not_ take any unnecessary risks. Understood?"

There was no response. Bruce hated when he did that. There was no denying, the kid was good, but he was arrogant. Unpredictable.

There were days that Bruce thought it would be easier working on his own. Still, if he'd wanted to do that, he could have stopped Dick from being Robin after the incident on Arkham Island. He'd let the boy continue instead. Anything happened to him, it was Bruce's fault.

Bruce ducked round the corner of the club, stepping over to the building beside it. The Thompkins clinic, funded by Wayne Enterprises. It wasn't the clinic he was interested in, though.

He moved round the back, going to a dumpster by a locked back door. He looked around for a second before pressing a panel on it, causing the panel to slide across, revealing a touch interface. Bruce pressed his palm against it, watching as a thin blue line went up and then down his hand, before the interface lit up with a green light. As it did, the door clicked as it unlocked, the interface hiding itself once again as Bruce removed his hand from it.

Bruce stepped over to the door, opening it. Had anyone but him, Dick or Alfred tried to use the interface, or the door, the 20,000 volt fail safe would have triggered, incapacitating the person involved. As he began walking down the stairs just inside the door, lights slowly flickered on, coming on ahead of him. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, a large, octagonal container raised from the white floor, the grate on front of it opening outward as it finished coming out of the floor, revealing the black and grey batsuit, the yellow oval in the centre containing his symbol.

"Time to get to work." He said to himself, reaching over to the suit and grabbing it.

...

Dick crouched in the vent inside the Iceberg lounge. He was looking over the back room that Bruce had mentioned. The guards were clustered around a TV, watching the game; Gotham Rangers vs the Metropolis Sharks. College football.

Dick smirked. He had known a guy in a school he'd gone to back in Metropolis, Victor, who was scouted for the Sharks. He was probably on the field right now. As he thought about it, he saw a shadow quickly crossing over the room from above. He angled himself as best he could; a skylight in the ceiling.

No cape on the figure. It wasn't Bruce. Hell, it was too small a shadow. No sign of a cape. Dick hesitated. As he did, the glass from the skylight shattered, a large mass crashing in through the centre of it; Bruce.

...

"It's the bat!" One of the thugs yelled as Bruce scowled at them, subtly pulling batarangs from his belt "Ice him!"

Bruce threw the batarangs, taking the handguns out of the hands of three of the goons, before there was a large crash as a vent grate was hurled across the room, Dick diving out of it, his escrima sticks in hand.

"The bat and the bird, it's our lucky night boys." The goon who had spoke before said, smirking "You put my buddy in Blackgate. I'm going to enjoy this."

"Wow, that sounds kind of peado-i-fied." Dick said, smirking as he threw one of his sticks, hitting the guy in the face as it ricocheted back to Dick's hand "You know it's illegal to proposition a guy whose under 18, right? Especially when he's heterosexual."

"That doesn't affect legality." Bruce said with a scowl as he charged the last two guys, taking them both down, before pressing two fingers to his ear "Get me Commissioner Gordon. Tell him I've got information on the Penguin."

Bruce lowered his fingers from his ear. As he did, something hit the ground, smoke exploding from the small bomb. Bruce hit a control on his belt, thermal vision engaging in his cowl. As it did, a slim, feminine figure came running in, grabbing something off the table. He saw Dick charging the figure, before being hit away with a whip.

"Robin!" He yelled, running over to his partner, checking on him, watching as the figure escaped through the hole in the skylight he'd made.

"I'm fine, they just suckered me." Dick said, standing up and pulling a grapnel from his belt, firing it at the skyline "I'll get 'em!"

"Robin, wait!" Bruce called after him, to no avail, watching as Dick ran out of view after climbing out the skylight "Damned kid..."

Bruce pulled his own grapnel from his belt, firing a line up and climbing through the skylight, beginning to chase after Dick and the figure who'd grabbed the object from the table. They were a good ten metres ahead, on the next rooftop across. He raised his grapnel, firing at a tower block just ahead of the thief, being pulled ahead rapidly. He pressed the button on the side of the grapnel, releasing the line as he spread his arms, the cape attaching to them, beginning to glide ahead.

He looked down, observing the sight below. Dick was several metres behind the figure; there was no way he'd catch her up. Bruce, however, was exactly where he needed to be.

He pulled his arms into his sides tightly, beginning to dive. The figure below, a woman in a black leather outfit with some kind of cat themed mask, looked up just in time to see Bruce spread his arms, slowing his descent just enough so he didn't kill her as he took her to the ground, landing on top of her as Dick caught up.

"I heard you liked to play rough." She purred with a wry grin "I was hoping it was true."

"What did you take from Cobblepot!" Bruce yelled at her, his tone aggressive "Answer me!"

"The same thing as you, handsome." She replied, her tone flirtatious "Why don't you get off me and I'll show you?"

"Robin, get back to base." Bruce said, turning his head to face Dick as he knew the protests were coming "Now!"

"Fine." Dick grumbled, turning and moving away, muttering something about Bruce being a control freak.

Bruce stood up, pulling the thief up by her left wrist, keeping a tight grip on it. She reached into the black satchel under her left arm, pulling a folder out. Bruce grabbed the folder from her hand, still holding her in place.

"What is this?" He asked, holding the folder up.

"I don't know, I was paid to do a job, I was doing it." She replied "I don't ask questions, I just go in and out, get the job done and leave. No questions asked. But I'm sure that's something you're familiar with. After all, you're a man under there, right?"

"A word of advice." He said, pressing a control on his belt "Get out of Gotham."

"Why? Will I be seeing more of you if I don't?" She asked playfully "That's an incentive to stay in my book."

"Stay out of trouble, and you won't be." Bruce replied, releasing her before grabbing the grip attached to a line that was lowered by the batwing as it moved into position above him "And trust me, that's what you want."

He didn't say anymore, just pressing a control on the side of the grip, reeling him in as the cat burglar watched him fly away.

**...**

**Okay, so here's chapter one of "Tales of the Knight", and I will confirm, more of Batman's rogues will be appearing beyond the two we've met here. R&R, please, no flames. B.**


End file.
